Method of making vacuum insulated glass (vig) window unit including activating getter

A method of making a vacuum insulated glass (VIG) unit, the method comprising:

• having first and second glass substrates, a plurality of spacers and a seal provided between at least the first and second glass substrates, a cavity to be evacuated to a pressure less than atmospheric pressure located between at least the first and second glass substrates, and at least one getter provided in the cavity;
• activating the getter via at least radiation emitted from outside of the cavity, when the getter is provided in the cavity;
• wherein the cavity to be evacuated is located between the first and second glass substrates, and wherein a pump-out tube for evacuating the cavity extends in a direction substantially perpendicular to a major surface of at least one of the first and second glass substrates, and
• wherein the pump-out tube extends through at least part of one of the first and second glass substrates, the pump-out tube being elongated so that the pump-out tube has a length longer than its width.